


makeshift christmas

by gazing



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, alternate universe where rose and the doctor r travelling together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-18 03:43:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21921238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gazing/pseuds/gazing
Summary: "I think there's something moving in the Christmas tree." Rose blinks. "Where the hell did you even get it?"
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 5
Kudos: 38





	makeshift christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [UntemperedWolf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/UntemperedWolf/gifts).



> merry christmas kit kat<3 i love you lots and i hope this fic makes you smile a lot.

"What's all this?" 

The Doctor turns to look at Rose under the twinkling Christmas lights. Rose’s mouth is slightly open, parted a little in surprise. She speaks breathlessly. The look in her gaze, that same raise of the eyebrows and rapid blinking, is the same awe that she gets whenever they encounter a new time or planet. Pleasure twists warmly in The Doctor's stomach when she sees Rose finally smile, the weariness and sadness in her expression fading into wonder.

This is what it's all for, The Doctor thinks, this is what travelling with Rose has always been about: the sudden childish joy on Rose's face whenever The Doctor showed her something new. The Doctor grins to herself.

"Doctor?" Rose turns to look at her with stars in her eyes. 

"What, this?" The Doctor motions to the lounge of the TARDIS with her hand. She avoids Rose's gaze, an uncomfortable flush climbing up her neck. "It's nothing, really, just I know you were upset that we couldn't go back to see Jackie for Christmas yet because the TARDIS needs fixing, and I know Christmas means a lot of you, so I- hmph!"

One moment The Doctor is rambling, shoving her hands into her pocket and rocking back on her heels in a sheepish, endearing sort of way, and the next Rose is pulling her into a tight hug, her hair tickling the Doctor's cheek. The Doctor melts. No matter where she searches, there's no greater home than in Rose's arms.

"Thank you." Rose murmurs, into her ear, "I love it."

It had been nothing, really, getting the tree and hanging up the lights on a very wobbly ladder. She'd made hot cocoa with her tongue between her teeth, only ruining it twice, and she'd put the Turkey in the oven, too. They'd (crash) landed in Berlin, so they weren't really far from any supermarkets. It had been an amusing trip in which The Doctor had somehow, after a few mistakes, managed to use human money and fill a trolley full of food while Rose slept.

Rose shifts out of the hug to peer around the room again, but The Doctor keeps a warm arm firmly around her waist.

"I can't believe you did all of this." Rose sighs happily.

There are hundreds of Christmas lights strung throughout the TARDIS, giving everything a soft and colorful glow. There's a huge tree, too, in the lounge, standing with a makeshift alien at the top. The Doctor admires her handiwork, too. Not bad for a timelord who isn't human, really.

"Well," The Doctor grins, "I'm not completely useless."

Rose nudges her, grinning back, wide and bright. 

"This isn't even the best part," The Doctor says cheekily, "There's a dinner cooking, hopefully edible, and eggnog, and oh, look, mistletoe."

Rose looks above them where mistletoe is hanging in the doorway and raises an eyebrow.

"If you wanted to kiss me, you could have just said so."

"But this is _festive._ "

Rose rolls her eyes and leans down a little to press a gentle kiss to The Doctor's cheek. Affronted, The Doctor pouts, and Rose laughs at her before her eyes catch something moving across the room.

"I think there's something _moving_ in the Christmas tree." Rose blinks. "Where the hell did you even get it?"

"Nevermind that. Come on," The Doctor takes her hand and pulls her further into the room. Rose's warm fingers intertwine with her own, and even now The Doctor's heart skips a beat as if it's their first meeting all over again. "I made eggnog."

Quickly, The Doctor pulls her onto the small sofa, their legs pressed together. The Doctor pulls two glasses from the floor and then throws an arm behind Rose. They love this room, a snug slice of human amidst the rest of the TARDIS. Apart from the bedroom, this is the place they loved to spend time together, laughing about their travels and relaxing in each other's warm company.

Rose snuggles against the Doctor's arm. She takes a sip of the eggnog, and then pulls a face.

"What on earth did you put in this?" She laughs.

"You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that." Rose shifts to rest her head in the crook between the Doctor's neck and shoulder, and turns her face to press a kiss against the side of the Doctor's neck. "Thank you."

"It's nothing, really-"

"Not for the decorations and stuff," Rose murmurs, "Christmas isn't about that, really. With my Mum, it was the one time of year we could forget about money and about- about Dad, and just be together. We laughed so much, you know, and everything was so nice. Thank you for giving me that too."

"Ah." The Doctor ducks her head, though she's rarely shy. "Even though the eggnog's bad?"

Rose giggles, and the Doctor can't help herself - she lifts Rose's face and kisses her softly, their noses touching. Rose is warm and sweet beneath her, her hands resting on The Doctor's thighs as she kisses back. The Doctor keeps her hands on Rose's cheeks when she pulls away, rubbing her thumbs gently across Rose's skin.

"I like Christmas." She decides.

"Idiot." Rose says fondly.

"No, really, I'm jealous of you humans." The Doctor murmurs, "They have this tradition, you know, of just giving gifts to each other and eating together and spending time with each other and- and _loving_. That's special, isn't it? That's the purest thing in the universe."

 _I'm glad I get to share it with you,_ The Doctor thinks, though it doesn't need saying. She knows Rose wishes she'd talk about her feelings more - she knows Rose wishes she was more open, more vulnerable. But in this soft moment she knows that Rose can read the thought in her face, in her gentle touch, and that is enough.

"Sap." Rose turns her face to kiss one of The Doctor's palms. "Doctor, when I go back for Christmas at home, you should come, you know. It'd be nice."

The Doctor pulls a face.

"I don't know if Jackie's used to my new face yet."

"The _look_ on her face when you introduced yourself as The Doctor. Priceless."

"I don't want to go through that again."

Rose laughs, and laughs. There's something entirely wonderful about her laugh, a special kind of magic only found on the most precious planets. Everytime The Doctor makes her laugh, which is often, she's struck with the realisation that Rose is laughing because of her, for her, and she'll always be grateful.

The Doctor is so caught in the warmth of the moment that she doesn't notice the wetness sparkling on Rose's cheeks.

"What- Why are you crying?" The Doctor quickly wipes her tears away with her hands, "Did I do something wrong? Do you want something else? I could go and get more stuff, but I think the shops will be closed now, or I could get right to fixing the TARDIS-"

"No, it's not that, it's just-" Rose squeezes The Doctor's hand. "I'm so happy."

"Ah." The Doctor's eyes flicker around the room, her expression embarrassed, but she grips Rose's hand tightly. "Silly."

"Doctor, you look a bit red-"

"Christmas Dinner!" The Doctor blurts out, and jumps to her feet. The smell of cooking has begun to drift into the room, homely and comforting. Thank God for the TARDIS, she thinks, hoping nothing is burning. "It should be finished soon."

"Oh God, there aren't sprouts, are there?"

"Of _course_ there are, Rose," The Doctor pulls Rose to her feet. "It wouldn't be a Christmas Dinner without them, now would it?"


End file.
